Wake Me
by Insane Pirate Dragon
Summary: Young Phoenix StreamLiner thought that she would always have her father and that he would always be with her. But she quickly learns that good things don't last forever, and the ones you love can leave in a flash...


Its fic time again and its another good one. I suggest that you should grab a tissue before reading...

Phoenix Chloe and Chase all belong to me  
'When September Ends' belongs to Green Day  
And 'Cars' belong to the Pixar Gods.

* * *

_Summer has come and passed…  
The innocent can never last…  
Wake me up when September ends_…

"Atta girl, Nixie." The dark blue Pontiac/ Ford mix cried as he watched his nine-year-old daughter crossed the finish line for the first time.

"Daddy. Did ya see it! Did ya!" The little dark blue Trans Am cried excitedly spinning doughnuts in front of her father.

Chase 'StormChaser' StreamLiner chuckled. "I sure did Nixie-Bird, I'm so proud of ya." He said as he nuzzled her lovingly.

A white Trans Am pulled up next to them. "Alright you two. How about we head for home?"

_Like my fathers come to pass…  
Seven years has gone so fast…  
Wake me up when September ends…_

"Not yet Chloe." Chase said. "I have a surprise for Nixie." He gave his Trans Am wife his trademark lopsided grin.

"Chase StreamLiner, what are you up to?" Chloe asked.

"You'll see." Chase said.

It didn't take long for Chase to lead them to the short track near their home. "I figure its time for a certain little racer to feel a real track."

Phoenix squealed happily and darted ahead of her father. Chloe stayed back, concern across her features.

_Here comes the rain again…  
Falling from the stars…_

"Nixie will be alright, Chloe." Chase said nuzzling his wife. "I'll be right there along side her."

"It's not her I'm worried about." Chloe said raising an eyeshade. "Remember what the doctor said." She pulled away from him. "You aren't suppose to even run laps, let alone race."

"The doctor's a loon." Chase grumbled. "I feel fine. Besides, my Uncle Jet still races and he's a classic."

_Drenched in my pain again…  
Becoming who we are…_

"Yeah, well your uncle's hasn't driven back and forth between the coasts like you have." Chloe said, nudging his fender that bore the decals of CannonBall Runs and other cross country races he'd won.

"I'll be fine." Chase said reassuringly. "It'll only be for a couple of laps. I promise we'll be fine." He kissed her before gently nudging Phoenix forward onto the track.

_As my memory rests…  
But never forgets what I lost…  
Wake me up when September ends…_

Phoenix shifted her tires as she felt the track of the first time. Chase chuckled as she adjusted to feeling a real track beneath her tires. He revved his engine playfully in challenge at her.

Phoenix squealed and revved her own back. She had hardly had a moment alone with her father nowadays and enjoyed it when they were together.

_Summer has come and passed…  
The innocent can never last…  
Wake me up when September ends…_

"Ready." Chase said crouching down, Phoenix following. "Set… Go!" Both cars shot off around the track, blue blurs as the raced. Though they weren't going very fast, Phoenix struggled to stay in her father's slipstream.

'Keep yourself low Nixie-Bird, hug the track." Chase said as he raced along side her. "And fold in your mirrors. You don't need them here."

_Ring out the bells again…  
Like we did when spring began…  
Wake me up when September ends…_

Phoenix nodded and followed her father's directions. She slowly began to inch up on her father. The little car then shot ahead of him and crossed the finish line in front. Chase grinned as they slowed down. "That's my girl." He said, clearly out of breath as they pulled off the track.

Chase was breathing heavily as they worked their was home, Phoenix bouncing eagerly in front of them. Chloe cast a glance her husband. "Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine." Chase reassured. "Just a little tired that's all."

_Here comes the rain again…  
Falling from the stars…_

"Do you need me to put Nixie to bed?" She asked as they pulled into their home. "So you can…"

"No, I'll do it." He said shaking his front. "It's our nightly ritual. Okay Nixie, bedtime."

Phoenix stopped and headed for her room, Chase right behind her. She settled down on her sleeping mat and Chase covered her with a nightcover. "There we go, night kiddo." He said nuzzling her and turning to leave.

"Daddy."

He stopped and turned back to his daughter. "Yeah Nixie."

_Drenched in my pain again…  
Becoming who we are…_

The little car shuffled on her tires. "Can I be a racer when I grow up? Just like you and Uncle Jet."

"Of course you can, and I'll be right there with you." He chuckled. "We'll make a fine team." He gently nuzzled her. "You would be great on the track. But even racers need sleep. G'night kiddo."

Phoenix grinned and nuzzled him before settling down on her pad. "Night Daddy."

Chase grinned casting one last glance at his daughter before heading to his room.

As morning came, Phoenix darted from her room and stopped as she saw a pair of patrol cars and Uncle Jet in her living room. Chloe had looked like she'd been crying, she looked up from her place next to Jet. "Nixie baby." Chloe started, she had to stay strong for her daughter. She pulled her close.

_As my memory rests…  
But never forgets what I lost…  
Wake me up when September ends…_

"Mom, where's Daddy at?" She asked, not knowing if she wanted the answer.

"Sweetie, Daddy's gone." Chloe said. "He passed during the night. We knew he wasn't feeling well these past couple of months. It was just his time."

_Summer has come and passed…  
The innocent can never last…  
Wake me up when September ends…_

Phoenix pulled away shaking her front. "No, he promised. He promised he'd be here."

"Phoenix…"

"No!" The little car revved her engine and shot out the open door and down the street. "Phoenix!" Chloe cried out as her daughter vanished down the road.

_Like my father's come to pass…  
Twenty years has gone so fast…_

Phoenix didn't stop until she was back at the track where she had spent with the last hours with her father. She sank to the ground, sobbing, she could still smell his scent on the track.

She ignored the rumble of thunder as the rains started to fall across the ground soaking her. Right now she didn't care, she barely felt it hitting her. "Daddy, why did you have to go?"

_Wake me up when September ends…  
Wake me up when September ends…  
Wake me up when September ends…_

* * *

And click the little blue button and let me know what you think..._  
_


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